Conversion, Cosmology, Spirituality, and Ministry Practices among Cambodian Christians, 1970–Present

“Cambodian Christians’ personal conversion stories, beliefs surrounding cosmology and spirituality, and transnational ministry practices suggest that Christianity has provided a way for many survivors of the Cambodian genocide to interpret their individual and collective experiences during and after the Cambodian Civil War through the lens of victory. ”

Team Members/Contributors

Briana Lynn Wong Princeton Theological Seminary Contact Me

About this dissertation fellowship

My dissertation consists of an analytical exploration of conversion, cosmology, spirituality, and ministry practices in the lives of my ethnographic interlocutors in the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Paris, and Phnom Penh, where I plan to spend between two and four months each. I argue that Cambodian Christians’ personal conversion stories, beliefs surrounding the spiritual realm and its interactions with the physical, and transnational approach to mutual mission suggest that Christianity has provided a way for many survivors of the Cambodian genocide (1975-1979) to interpret their individual and collective experiences during and after the Cambodian Civil War (1970-1975) through the lens of victory. This dissertation, focused on the experiences of Christian communities, will engage in analysis of theological concerns, but it will employ a combination of historical and social scientific methodologies, rather than a theological one. While I will examine the religious expressions of my interlocutors, I will not seek to argue in favor of any particular theological viewpoint in my project. I aim through this project to contribute to ongoing conversations relating to conversion and reverse mission within the field of World Christianity, as well as those concerning emotional healing and transnationalism within Southeast Asian Studies.